As the advancements in modern technology continue to impress and amaze, it’s sometimes easy to forget what a revolutionary piece of kit the satellite navigation system has been. Sat navs, or GPS systems as they are sometimes referred to, have taken the stress out of driving to unknown territories whilst rendering the map obsolete.
Aside from the basic purpose of getting you from A to B, the genius of sat nav provides several other functions. For instance, if you’re hungry it can tell you where the nearest restaurant is or if you are running low on petrol it can point you in the direction of the nearest garage. More advanced sat navs can even inform you of traffic jams and recommend the best route to avoid it.
As GPS supporting phones are becoming more and more effective, is there still a need for dedicated devices in our cars? The short answer is yes. Aside from offering the sort of focus you can only get from a purpose-built device, devoted sat navs have proper mounting systems unlike mobile phones where you have to rely on fiddly bits of plastic.
They also boast voice options and have in-built entertainment. The big problem with phones is that when connected to GPS battery life remains short, meaning they need to be continually charged. This is not an issue with dedicated sat navs.
Portable sat navs
Portable sat navs are the ideal choice for anyone who has to hire cars at home or abroad. They are also suitable for anyone who has to drive a number of different vehicles for their job. They are easily removed from one vehicle and placed in another.
Once upon a time sat navs were the reserve of expensive cars but with this clever little device, they are available to everyone at a very reasonable price. However they are not as accurate or easy to use as the fixed in-car sat navs. As they are not designed to blend with the interior of the car they are not as aesthetically pleasing either.
Fixed Sat Navs
By and large fixed in-car sat navs that are installed by the cars manufacturers or specialist fitters cost a lot more than portable ones. They are not removable and you are therefore unable to use them in another car.
However, on the whole they are a more sophisticated and reliable device. They are less susceptible to theft and the voice instructions are co-ordinated so they can override car stereo systems.